retail therapy

Hey CG!s! Ever have a case of the blues and go shopping to take your mind off things? Well I have. Recently after a break up with my boyfriend of 5 years I have learned that shopping is definitely a good short-term cure for clearing your head. I mean you have this idea in your head that if you walk around for a while, try on new clothes and of course buy them you're sort of "starting over". In a way it's sort of true. You have a new wardrobe, a new look, a new attitude, but unfortunately no new income feed into this new you. Now I can't say I've run into debt but being single has become just a little bit expensive. So instead of impulse buying on something I see that's very expensive like I've done in the past and sometimes, (very rarely) regretted later, I have been trying to go to the inexpensive stores, and trust me I have been doing a lot of shopping. My last few "therapy" sessions consisted of trips to Express, H&M, Forever 21, and Payless. My one splurge was on a pair of Seven for All Mankind jeans on impulse until I realized I got about three outfits at H&M for about the same amount I spent on the Seven's and I forced myself not to do anymore expensive shopping.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

So to all of you CG!s out their in need of some retail therapy, here is some advice on how to stay in your budget and not buy without thinking first.

1. Splurging on one thing that you absolutely love is ok, but FORCE YOURSELF to keep it to one item. 2. Bring only a certain amount of cash with you and only spend that amount. Don't keep running up your charge account for those of you who have credit cards. 3. BRING A FRIEND! Talking out how your feeling with one of your girlfriends definitely helps and they are also good for pulling you out of the really expensive stores or stopping you from shopping all together when you've done too much already.

Tell me about some of the times you've had to do some retail therapy and where you've gone shopping to cure your blues